This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-034081, filed Feb. 10, 2000, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a power saving control function for a computer such as a personal computer.
Various portable notebook type personal computers capable of operating by batteries have recently been developed. A computer of this type has various power saving functions in order to prolong the continuous operation time of the system by a battery as long as possible. One of them is a power saving function concerning a display device such as an LCD or CRT.
Standards for the power saving function include the International Energy Star standard which defines that a computer must comprise a function capable of activating the low-power mode and deep sleep mode of a display. The low-power mode is the first low-power state which is automatically activated after the computer does not operate for the first predetermined time. The deep sleep mode is the second low-power state which is automatically activated when the computer does not operate for the second predetermined time. According to this standard, the shift time for activating the low-power mode must be set within 30 min, and the shift time must be set to activate the deep sleep mode within 70 min. Further, the total of the shift times to the low-power mode and deep sleep mode must fall within 70 min. Note that the shift time is changeable by the user.
For example, if the computer does not operate for a predetermined time or more set by the user, an operating system (to be simply referred to as an OS hereinafter) generates the first operation mode signal for shifting to a standby state (corresponding to the low-power mode) in which the screen display is turned off. Further, if the computer does not operate for another predetermined time or more set by the user, the OS outputs the second operation mode signal for shifting to a power-off state (corresponding to the deep sleep mode). The BIOS receives these mode signals, and controls the display controller to control the operation state of the display.
In this manner, if a non-operation state continues for a certain time or more, power consumption is temporarily reduced, and then the display is turned off. In other words, a plurality of stages (two stages in this example) of the power saving state are set. If a mouse or keyboard is operated in either the standby state or power-off state, display resumes. In a CRT, the time until display resumes is shorter in return from the standby state than in return from the power-off state. For this reason, when the computer with the CRT does not operate for a predetermined time, it is not immediately set to the power-off state but temporarily to the standby state.
Some other OSs further divide the standby state into a plurality of states, and gradually reduce power consumption through a plurality of states.
In general, a so-called server OS having an advanced network-compatible function does not take multistage power saving control, and directly shifts to the power-off state after the non-operation state continues for a predetermined time, i.e., takes only two, power-on and power-off states.
Most of the OSs of conventional computer systems first output a standby mode signal when a computer does not operate for a predetermined time, and then output a deep sleep mode signal to set the power-off state when the computer does not operate for another predetermined time.
However, some users attach importance to the power saving effect more than the time-shortening effect until display resumes, do not require the multistage power saving state, do not desire to set the power-off state after the standby state is temporarily set, but desire to directly set the power-off state. When an LCD is used in place of a CRT, the time until display resumes is almost the same between return from the power-off state and return from the standby state.
In this manner, most of conventional OSs cannot cope with a demand for directly setting the power-off state when the computer does not operate for a predetermined time, in order to enhance the power saving effect.
Along with upgrading (function advance) of an OS, the upgraded version of the above-mentioned OS (if the non-operation state continues for a predetermined time, the OS first outputs a low-power mode signal, and if the non-operation state further continues, outputs a deep sleep mode signal) can be used as a server OS. When the server OS, which immediately shifts to the power-off state in non-operation, is upgraded, the display device of a client is not immediately set to the power-off state but is temporarily set to the standby state. A client user who does not know the change of the OS or forgets it may mistake this state for a malfunction of the computer, and may be confused. Even a user who knows the change of the OS may feel unnatural if display operation changes.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a computer and power saving control method capable of realizing power saving control in a smaller number of stages or simple power saving control in only two ON and OFF states, and enhancing the power saving effect with a simple arrangement without changing the OS even if the OS defines power saving control in a plurality of stages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a computer and power saving control method capable of performing power saving control similar to a previous OS without causing confusion or unnatural feeling of the user even if the OS is changed to change computer operation concerning power saving control.
According to the present invention, there is provided a computer which is capable of being connected to an external device and outputting a command to the external device to shift the external device to a power saving state, the computer comprising a generator configured to generate a first power saving command for shifting the external device to a first power saving state when a non-operation time reaches a first time, a converter configured to convert the first power saving command into a second power saving command for shifting the external device to a second power saving state in which power consumption is lower than the first power saving state, and an output unit configured to output the second power saving command to the external device.
According to the present invention, there is provided a power saving method for a computer which is capable of being connected to an external device and outputting a command to the external device to shift the external device to a power saving state, the method comprising detecting a non-operation time; generating a first power saving command for shifting the external device to a first power saving state when the non-operation time reaches a first time; and converting the first power saving command into a second power saving command for shifting the external device to a second power saving state in which power consumption is lower than the first power saving state; and outputting the second power saving command to the external device.
According to the present invention, there is provided a computer program for a computer which is capable of being connected to an external device and outputting a command to the external device to shift the external device to a power saving state, the program being stored in a computer readable medium, and the program comprising the following steps of generating a first power saving command for shifting the external device to a first power saving state when a non-operation time reaches a first time; converting the first power saving command into a second power saving command for shifting the external device to a second power saving state in which power consumption is lower than the first power saving state; and outputting the second power saving command to the external device.
According to the present invention, there is provided another computer in which an operating system sequentially outputs a plurality of power saving commands to a hardware to reduce power consumption stepwise, the computer comprising a download unit located between the operating system and the hardware and configured to download a software for receiving the plurality of power saving commands, converting the plurality of power saving commands into a smaller number of power saving commands, and outputting the smaller number of power saving commands, and wherein the plurality of power saving commands output by the operating system are supplied to the hardware as the smaller number of power saving commands via the software, and power consumption is reduced based on the smaller number of power saving commands in a smaller number of stages than stages defined by the operating system.
According to the present invention, there is provided a still further power saving setting method comprising downloading an operating system; downloading a software for, if the operating system is able to generate a plurality of power saving commands and generates a predetermined power saving command, for changing the predetermined power saving command into a power saving command other than the predetermined power saving commands; and performing a power saving control for a peripheral device in accordance with the power saving command output from the operating system or the software.
According to the present invention, there is provided a still further computer comprising a download unit configured to download an operating system; a download unit configured to, if the operating system is able to generate a plurality of power saving commands and generates a predetermined power saving command, download a software for changing the predetermined power saving command into a power saving command other than the predetermined power saving commands; and a power saving controller configured to perform a power saving control for a peripheral device in accordance with the power saving command output from the operating system or the software.
According to the present invention, there is provided a still further method of manufacturing a computer, comprising manufacturing a computer for an order not including an operating system;
manufacturing a software used in the computer to, if the operating system is able to generate a plurality of power saving commands and generates a predetermined power saving command, change the predetermined power saving command into a power saving command other than the predetermined power saving commands; and packaging the computer and the software.
Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the present invention.
The objects and advantages of the present invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.